Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey Biography

Marcus Garvey was declared a national hero of Jamaica on 15 November 1964, making him the first person to be named a national hero.
Garvey is best remembered for founded the United Negro Improvement Association and he spent his life campaigning for black rights.
He also founded Jamaica's first modern political party, the Peoples Political Party.

Garvey held many controversial beliefs, including that of "the principle of Europe for the Europeans, and Asia for the Asiatics" and "Africa for the Africans at home and abroad" which often put him at odds with black rights groups which favoured racial integration.

During his lifetime Marcus Garvey travelled through Central America, Europe and the Caribbean witnessing the harsh lifestyles that black people were living throughout the world.
Garvey also founded several businesses, including the Black Star Line, the Negro Factories Corporation, the Edelweiss Amusement Company and several newspapers.

The teachings of Marcus Garvey also play an important part in Rastafarian Culture with many Rastafarians holding Marcus Garvey as a prophet who foretold the ascencion of King Haile Selassie I to the throne of Ethiopia